BAN Google And YouTube In Indonesia, Says ICMI

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On, Tuesday, the Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals Association (ICMI) made a request to the government to block search engine Google and video streaming service Youtube in Indonesia,

ICMI argued that pornography and violence are easily accessible on or through the two websites.

ICMI Secretary General Jafar Hafsah (pic) wrote in a press release:

These sites have been freely spreading pornographic and violent content without control. Google and YouTube have given a negative impact on Indonesia.

Jafar argued that Google and YouTube have been selective in their content censorship.

“Some time ago Google and YouTube successfully blocked, erased, and cracked down on news and videos on radicalism. Why is it that now Google and YouTube are unwilling to erase pornographic and violent content?”

Jafar suggested an alternative and stated “I’m sure Indonesian innovators can create search engines like Google and YouTube that are better. With the government’s support, of course,”

In response to this, The Ministry of Communications and Information said doing so would be against democratic principles.

Ismail Cawidu, head of Public Relations at the Ministry of Communications and Information stated:

As a democratic state, we can’t possibly block the sites. UUD 1945 Article 28 F guarantees freedom to information. We have to respect that.

However, the Indonesian government has banned popular websites such as Reddit and Imgur.

Ismail did not elaborate further on whether the same reasoning would be used to make Reddit, Imgur and other blocked websites available again in Indonesia.

This article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice. Every situation is unique and dependent on the facts (ie, the circumstances surrounding your individual case) so we recommend that you consult a lawyer before considering any further action. All articles have been scrutinized by a practicing lawyer to ensure accuracy.